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Car Profiles
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What To Know About Electric Car Motors
The electric motor world is separated into two categories. Without going into great detail, there are direct current (DC) motors and alternating current (AC) motors. Both types are used in electric cars. Large vehicle manufacturers will usually use AC motors in their vehicles.This is probably because AC motors are lighter and capable of producing more power for their size than their DC counterparts. On the other hand, DC motors are much less expensive and a lot easier for the DIY enthusiast to install than AC motors. This is why most of us prefer the DC motor for all the conversions we do.
It is fairly simple to find the best DC motor for any electric car conversion project if you know what to look for.
First, DC electric car motors are most frequently identified by their diameter.
Obviously, larger diameter motors are capable of producing more horsepower, but these will also consume more energy and require more batteries or more frequent charging. The best motor to use for an electric car conversion project is one between 9 and thirteen inches.
You can expect that this size motor will have a range of between 150 and 200 miles between charges and will travel at top speeds approaching 55 MPH.
A DC motor in this nine to thirteen inch size range will also work well with deep cycle batteries which we’ve found to be the best choice for DIY conversions.
Electric car motor installation is easy to do and pretty much fail safe provided you follow the instructions. You will probably need a helper for this step because the motor weighs around 150 lbs.
You can get new electric car motors online for between $1,000 and $5,000 depending on the size, but we don’t recommend it.
For a fraction of that cost, you can find a reconditioned used motor that will outlive any car you put it in. They’ve actually been known to outlive two cars in some situations
Why spend the extra money on something that is no more reliable and and requires no less effort to install? And again, these are usually available and in ample supply locally if you look around a bit.
This is where a good set of plans and an experienced guide becomes so valuable. You do have to know what to look for and where to look to save the most money you can. You can get all your parts very very cheap, if not free, and a high quality set of plans will provide you with the invaluable information you need to do this.
It also takes you step by step through the entire conversion and makes sure that your controllor, motor, batteries and every other part you use (including the car!) are all suitable for the project and for each other. As mentioned above, including batteries you can usually complete the full conversion for well under $500. Need to find out more about electric car motors? We have recommendations and lots more info at our site. Stop by and check it out.
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